Telephone index



April 30, 1963 G. J. PRosEN TELEPHONE INDEX Filed March 3. 1961 GTIME-SAVER DAILY USING PHONE NUMBERS /8 ADDRESS g4/COMPANY PHONES [g--ADDRESS y 4 INV ENTOR.

/Y/Sgn BY Vd United States Patent() 3,087,457 TELEPHONE INDEX Gildo J.Prosen, 5122 S. Bishop St., Chicago 9, Ill. Filed Mar. 3, 1961, Ser. No.93,168 4 Claims. (ci. 11s-135) The invention relates generally todata-retaining devices and more particularly to a device for retainingnames, addresses, telephone numbers and the like.

The invention has among its `objects the production of a data-retainingdevice which will retain a relatively large amount of information in avery small space, as for example, name, address, phone number, etc., andwhich is so -designed that desired information may be readily segregatedfrom other information on the device, at the same time providing anextremely simple construction which is inexpensive to manufacture andreadily adapts itself as a premium item or the like.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a device whichmaybe constructed entirely of plastic or other suitable material and maybe so designed that it is reusable. A

Many other objects and advantages of the invention herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken `approximately on the line 3 3 of FIG.l n

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of a modified form ofslide; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 of still anothermodified form of slide construction.

The present invention contemplates the production of a data retentiondevice in the form of a flat sheet of material which is provided withspaces on both sides for the receipt 4of the material to be retained,the device being provided with a slide element which may -be readilymoved along the sheet to designate the information sought, and when sopositioned will correlate the material on both sides of the card in theevent the reverse side of the ydevice is employed for the reception ofadditional data pertaining to corresponding data on the opposite sidethereof. The slide member is so proportioned and constructed that thedesired material Iwill stand out prominently to the exclusion of theundesired material.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly t FIGS. 1 through 3, thereference numeral 1 indicates generally a card or plate formed fromsuitable sheet material, as for example, plastic or a plastic coatedmaterial, which is provided with a dull mat nish so that it may readilyreceive and carry information placed on the sheet in either pen orpencil.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the top face of the sheetis provided with a plurality of indicia receiving spaces 3 and 4arranged in vertical columns, the spaces 3 being adapted to receive thename of an individual, and the spaces 4 the corresponding telephonenumber thereof. In like manner, the opposite face of the sheet 1 may beprovided with spaces 6 and 7 similarly arranged in vertical columnswhich may contain addresses and other suitable information, as forexample, the company by which the individual is employed. As illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2, the faces of the sheet may also be provided withsuitable legends and other information as well as suitable advertisingmaterial in the event the device is used a-s an advertising premium orthe like.

Cooperable with the sheet -1 is a slide member, indicated generally bythe numeral 8, illustrated in FIGS. 1

through 3 as` comprising two strips of material 9a and 9b which aresecured together into an integral structure by suitable means such as aplurality of tubular rivets 1v1, four of which are employed in .theconstruction illustrated. As clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, the sheets9a and 9b are adapted to be maintained in spaced relation by a pair ofspacer members 12 adjacent opposite ends of the strips, the rivets 11extending through the strips 142 andthe end portions of the strips 9aand 9b. The strips 12 are of a thickness generally corresponding to thethickness of the sheet 1, whereby the slide 8 is frictionally maintainedin adjusted position on the sheet 1 ibut may be readily movedtherealong, *the distance between the inner edges of the Vstrips 12being slightly greater than the corresponding width of the sheet.

The member 9a is provided with openings 13 and 14 therein whichgenerally correspond in Asize to the data receiving spaces 3 and 4,whereby the slide may be posi- Vtioned to dispose the openings 13 and 14in registration with a corresponding pair of spaces 3 and 4. Asillustrated in FIG. Vl, the vertical dimension of the member 9a isconsiderably greater than the corresponding dimension of Ione of thespaces 3 or 4, that illustrated being approximately three times theheight ofa space whereby the data appearing in the window openings y13and 14 is in elect isolated and prominently displayed to the eX- clusionof the adjacent data on the sheet. Preferably the slide 8 is made of amaterial having a color which'will contrast with the light material ofthe sheet 1, thereby emphasizing or accenting the segregating effect ofthe slide.

Strip 9b in like manner may be provided wit-h window openings 15 and 16aligned with the columns of Spaces 6 and 7. The rear side 5 of the sheet1, in the embodiment illustrated, is designed for the insertion ofaddresses and names of associated company of the persons listed on theopposite side of the sheet, so thatwhen the slide is properly positionedto indicate a desired name, the openings 15 and 16 will be aligned withthe spaces 6 and 7 containing the additional information with respect tothe individual whose name is displayed on the front side of the sheet.

Thus in use, the spaces 3, 4, 15 and 16 of the -device are properlyfilled in with the desired information and when information is soughtwith respect to an individual named on the sheet, the slide is merelymoved to position the window opening 13 in a position to expose thedesired name, whereupon the phone number will be visible in the ywindowopening 14 and the additional information pertaining to such individualwill be displayed in the window openings 15 and 16.

As previously mentioned, the sheet 1 is preferably provided with plasticfaces, the sheet either being made entirely of plastic or provi-ded witha suitable plastic coating which will readily take the printing or otherin- -dicia placed upon the sheet, the latter preferably having suitableindicating means such as boxes 17 formed thereon to indicate theapproximate area in which the desired information is to be placed solthat it will be properly aligned with the window openings of the slide.The use of a mat finish on the. surface of the sheet will permit thelatter to be readily cleaned and information may be readily removed, asdesired.

Suitable means may be provided to prevent undesired separation of theslide 8 from the sheet 1 which, in the embodiment illustrated, comprisesa small stop 18 formed integrally from the sheet 1 by making twoparallel slits in the sheet and deforming the portion of the sheettherebetween out of its normal plane and into the path of the slide.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate modified forms of a slide construction.

The slide illustrated in FIG. 4 comprises a pair of members 21a and 2111corresponding to the strips 9a and 9b, the member 2lb having endportions 22 to which the member 21a is suitably secured, as for example,by cementing or the like, whereby an integral structure is formed. Theslide being provided with openings 13 to 16, corresponding to thoseillustrated in the slide 8.

FIG. discloses a construction wherein the slide is formed from suitablesheet material bent back as in dicated at 23 to form oppositely disposedwalls 24a and 24b which may be provided with openings 13-16, the freeadjacent end portions 25 and 26 being suitably secured, as for example,by lapping and cementing or bonding of the overlying portions.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided anovel data retaining device which is exceedingly simple in construction,inexpensive to manufacture and very efcient for the purposes intended,the device being so constructed that selected data will be segregatedfrom other material on the sheet and prominently displayed.

Having thus described my invention, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art from the disclosure herein given Ithat various immaterialmodications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit ofmy invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself tothe exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of partsherein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An index structure comprising an elongated generally rectangularlyshaped body member formed from at relatively stit sheet material, eachface of said sheet having a plurality of columns of elongated datareceiving spaces with said columns extending parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the body member and said data receiving spacesextending transversely thereto, and a slide member having a frontportion disposed at one side of said sheet `and a rear portion disposedat the opposite side of the sheet with said portions being connected attheir corresponding ends, said slide having a window therein for eachcolumn of the front face and each column of the rear face, each windowbeing substantially the same size as one of the associated spaces, sai-dslide being movable along said sheet to simultaneously position all ofsaid windows in registery with selected spaces in each column of thefront and rear faces, said slide having a dimension in the 4direction ofsaid longitudinal axis which is at least equal to a multiple of thecorresponding dimension of said spaces to segregate the selected spacesand make them appear prominent.

2. A structure as defined in claim l, wherein said slide comprises apair of strips of a length greater than the width of said sheet wherebythe ends of said strips project outwardly beyond the side edges of thesheet, spacing means interposed between the projecting end portions ofsaid strips, and fastening means extending through and rigidlyconnecting said strips and spacing means to form a unitary structure.

3. A structure as defined in claim l, wherein said slide comprises apair of members of a length greater than the width of said sheet wherebythe ends of said strips project outwardly beyond the side edges of thesheet, and spacing elements at the projecting ends of said members, eachelement being integrally formed with an associated member and rigidlyconnected with the adjacent projecting portion of the other member toform a unitary structure.

4. A structure as dened in claim 1, wherein said slide comprises a stripof material which is folded to form a band transversely encircling thesheet, the free ends of said strip being overlapped and secured togetherto form a unitary structure.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,353,279 Schulthers Sept. 2l, 1920 1,607,544 McCready Nov. 16, 19262,888,899 Graham June 2, 1959

1. AN INDEX STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED GENERALLY RECTANGULARLYSHAPED BODY MEMBER FORMED FROM FLAT RELATIVELY STIFF SHEET MATERIAL,EACH FACE OF SAID SHEET HAVING A PLURALITY OF COLUMNS OF ELONGATED DATARECEIVING SPACES WITH SAID COLUMNS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THELONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BODY MEMBER AND SAID DATA RECEIVING SPACESEXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THERETO, AND A SLIDE MEMBER HAVING A FRONTPORTION DISPOSED AT ONE SIDE OF SAID SHEET AND A REAR PORTION DISPOSEDAT THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE SHEET WITH SAID PORTIONS BEING CONNECTED ATTHEIR CORRESPONDING ENDS, SAID SLIDE HAVING A WINDOW THEREIN FOR EACHCOLUMN OF THE FRONT FACE AND EACH COLUMN OF THE REAR FACE, EACH WINDOWBEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE AS ONE OF THE ASSOCIATED SPACES, SAIDSLIDE BEING MOVABLE ALONG SAID SHEET TO SIMULTANEOUSLY POSITION ALL OFSAID WINDOWS IN REGISTERY WITH SELECTED SPACES IN EACH COLUMN OF THEFRONT AND REAR FACES, SAID SLIDE HAVING A DIMENSION IN THE DIRECTION OFSAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS WHICH IS AT LEAST EQUAL TO A MULTIPLE OF THECORRESPONDING DIMENSION OF SAID SPACES TO SEGREGATE THE SELECTED SPACESAND MAKE THEM APPEAR PROMINENT.